


everybody talks

by haipollai



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Being found out, Carol looks out for Steve, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-24
Updated: 2012-11-24
Packaged: 2017-11-19 09:07:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/571593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haipollai/pseuds/haipollai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Mhm. You know James cuts the sleeves off of all his grungy t-shirts, right? Also you have a hickey." He reaches up and plucks at the edge of the sleeve where the hem had been cut off. She could see his fingers twitch but he resists searching for the hickey. "So, I ask again, good night? Or do I need to familiarize him with the inside of his own ass?"</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Steve chuckles and holds up both hands. "You caught me. Don't worry. It was very good." He comes around to lean against the counter next to her and rummages through the paper. "And how was your night?"</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	everybody talks

Carol glances up when she hears the footsteps shuffling into the kitchen. It's 7:34, too early for most of the Avengers. Since joining the team, she's found this is her favorite time of day, the one time when she's the most alone. The illusion of privacy is nice. She's a little disappointed that it looks like someone is about to interrupt her private time. But it's a little better when she sees it's Steve.

He blinks, obviously just as surprised to see her. She points wordlessly at the coffee pot and she hates how boyishly charming his ensuing smile is.

"You're a life saver. Literally."

"That's why I'm here, to be the hero. Save lives. Provide manly soldiers with their morning coffee. All that womanly stuff."

His eyes grow comically wide and for a second, she thinks he's going to grovel for forgiveness. "Carol, I didn't-"

"I know. I'm teasing." She smirks at him and she goes back to the paper and he continues his shuffle over to the coffee pot. It takes her a second before she freezes. Steve's room isn't in that direction. Those are the newer rooms. She's over there and Sam and Bucky and Jess. "Steve."

"Yes?" He pulls out the coffee pot and checks how much is in there. She can hear it sloshing around. She waits for him to put it down and turn to face her. "Carol?"

She takes a good long look at him and all the pieces start to come together.His hair is messed up, and he's wearing a shirt that looks a size too small. She leans back in her seat and lifts her own mug, smirking at him around the lip of it.

He rubs uncomfortably at his neck and goes to the fridge, rummaging through before pulling out creamer. Carol is also aware Steve doesn't use creamer in his coffee. There was a long drawn argument with Tony about that only two weeks ago. "Good night?" She finally asks when he straightens.

"I'm not sure what you mean." He pulls down two cups and very pointedly does not turn around at all.

"Mhm. You know James cuts the sleeves off of all his grungy t-shirts, right? Also you have a hickey." He reaches up and plucks at the edge of the sleeve where the hem had been cut off. She could see his fingers twitch but he resists searching for the hickey. "So, I ask again, good night? Or do I need to familiarize him with the inside of his own ass?"

Steve chuckles and holds up both hands. "You caught me. Don't worry. It was very good." He comes around to lean against the counter next to her and rummages through the paper. "And how was your night?"

She reluctantly lets him take International but glares when he touches Sports. "I'm sure dull compared to yours."

"Come on, Carol," he needles. "You know all about mine now."

She rolls her eyes and leans back, letting him pillage the rest of the paper. "You really think I'd be sitting out here if I had someone in my bed? And leave me the sudoku."

Steve holds the paper above his head so she kicks him in the shin, it's easier then trying to navigate herself around the chairs and counter top. He makes a face but holds the paper back out in her reach, letting her tear out the sudoku puzzle. He folds it back up carefully, leaving the crossword facing it out. The paper gets tucked under one arm and the two mugs are carefully balanced in one hand. "You know, Carol." He stops when he's almost out and turns back to her. "If whoever it is needs a good pummeling, I'm here for you."

Carol starts but then smiles softly. "Get back to your boy toy, Rogers."

He gives her a sharp salute. "Yes ma'am."

-

James Barnes is many things. Cap's best friend, his partner in life and war, a Russian assassin, a teammate.

He's a soldier.

Carol sees it immediately, that despite everything else, this is a man who found his place in the Army. Like recognizes like after all. Even when he's ostensibly relaxed, arguing with Clint about something only snipers understand, it's in the line of his shoulders, and the look in his eyes.

Carol likes him, she does. She doesn't just tell herself that because Steve likes him which really should be reason enough. She likes him because he doesn't laugh her off as weak or a woman and he even seems a little nervous around her, and she can't help that she likes making guys nervous.

Cap is off, being the figurehead and the flag with Tony Stark at his side in front of the reporters and cameras. Carol doesn't mind, she can lead but doing press has never appealed to her. So they sit on the Helicarrier, the only two at the big damn table, watching their teammates on the screen.

"So how long?" She asks.

"Huh?"

She taps the screen over Steve's face. "How long?"

To his credit, he doesn't blush or hide from her. "A long time. Before the war." He smiles at some old memory. Something soft and gentle and Carol knows she's being allowed into something almost no one else has seen. "1939 actually. If you want to be precise."

She whistles softly. Knowing them there are still details they're not telling, but not counting interruptions, they're going on six years together. "When's the anniversary?"

He does blush then and focuses intently on the screen, anything to not look at her. "It's not important. It's really cliche."

"Valentine's Day?"

"Not quite that cliche." He leans back in the chair, bracing his feet up on the table. Carol notices Maria scowl at them from the middle of the deck but she leaves them be. "He really respects you, you know."

"He better, I outrank both you losers." But she smiles, it's good to hear that Captain America respects you. She remembers first meeting him, SHIELD had thought sending Cap would encourage her to sign on. It hadn't been the stars and stripes, the knowledge of who he was that had done the trick. It had just been Steve. "You know the second you stop making him happy, I'm throwing you off the Helicarrier."

"Understood."

She twists to look back at him. He doesn't flinch away and she realizes what he really meant when he said Steve respected her, she can see it written over his face; you mean something to Steve, something I can't touch, something different but just as special. It catches her by surprise. "Treat him well," she says. It seems silly to say it out loud to James Barnes of all people, the only man alive who truly knows everything Steve has gone through in his life. Some things need to be said out loud though.

James doesn't laugh or even crack a smile, he just nods solemnly. "I've been trying my best."

She looks back to the feed to Steve trying to field some questions about the team. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him leaning forward again, careful of his metal arm and the metal table. "So."

"So?"

"When is the date?"

He groans softly and glances around to make sure no one is close enough to overhear them. "Christmas. We kissed under the Rockefeller Tree."

She bites back the snicker, but only just. "Really?"

"Shut up," he grumbles. "We were caught up in the moment."

"That's adorable."

"I'm going to throw you off the Helicarrier."

"I can fly, James."


End file.
